Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers
Have you ever noticed how DNA’s spiraling structure mirrors the shape of seashells and flowers? How our circulatory system branches like tree roots? Nature doesn’t just surround us—we are nature. Our bodies, minds, and societies are woven into its rhythms, yet in today’s modern world, we’ve severed that bond, and the consequences ripple through our environment, politics, culture, and even spirituality.
Every other week, hosts Monica Olsen and Jennifer Walsh explore the profound connections between planetary health and human well-being. Through conversations with leading experts, they uncover how nature influences everything—from the way we design our cities to the way we govern, heal, and find meaning in our lives. As we face climate change, biodiversity loss, and deep societal shifts, rediscovering our place in the natural world isn’t just necessary—it’s transformative.
Join us on this biophilic journey. Follow and listen today, because nature holds the answers.
Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers
The Future Is Local: Rebuilding Economies and Healing the Earth with Helena Norberg-Hodge
Time and again, we've examined how the challenges we face – poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and more – are deeply intertwined. Understandably, it can start to feel pretty overwhelming. But here’s the encouraging part: the solutions are just as interconnected.
In this episode of Biophilic Solutions, we speak with Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder and director of Local Futures, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring ecological and social well-being by revitalizing local communities and economies. Helena envisions a world where food is grown by nearby farmers, money circulates within communities, local businesses thrive, and meaningful work is accessible to all.
She argues that many of today’s crises stem from an overly globalized economic system and that the path forward lies in a broad shift toward localization. Helena advocates for a more informed and intentional public that values local economies and deeper connections with nature. In our conversation, we explore the power of local food systems, the importance of community and ecological bonds, and the role vulnerability plays in healing. Drawing on lessons from indigenous cultures, Helena makes a compelling case for localization as a path toward greater social cohesion and environmental resilience.
Show Notes
- About Helena
- Planet Local Summit | September 3-7 | Ladakh
- Local Futures
- Ancient Futures: Learning From Ladakh by Helena Norberg Hodge
- Local Is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness by Helena Norberg Hodge
- To Heal the Planet We Must First Heal Ourselves (Urth Magazine)
Key Words: local, localism, economy, economics, local economy, community, indigenous community, indigenous wisdom, Local Futures, farmers market, global economy, globalism, capitalism, nature, nature based solutions, biophilia, biophilic design, Helena Norberg-Hodge
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